Regulator grounds jet, suspends pilots after road landing

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the pilots and grounded the aircraft involved in a highly unusual incident last month in which a private jet landed on a road under construction near Asaba Airport in Delta State. The regulatory actions were announced by the NCAA's Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, during the 2026 Airports Business Summit in Lagos on July 15.

The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 6013A with registration number N989BC and managed by VMO Aero Limited, landed on the road on June 10, 2026. It had taken off from Lagos en route to Asaba airport. Following the landing, the jet later departed the scene and returned to Lagos without securing the necessary regulatory clearance. Captain Najomo confirmed that the NCAA has grounded the aircraft and suspended its Permit for Non-Commercial Flight. The pilot-in-command and the First Officer have been barred from operating in Nigerian airspace pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

Najomo stated that the initial safety investigation was conducted by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, but the regulatory aspect of the case has now been transferred to the NCAA, which is conducting its own...